The general opinion is that when you are in Croatia, it’s a shame to eat fish in Zagreb instead of on the seaside. But if Zagreb is your only stop in Croatia and you love a good fish meal, there is a lovely restaurant I can cordially recommend.

Ribice i tri točkice (in translation: “Small fish and three small dots”) has a nice variety of seafood specialties prepared according to the traditional recipes. It’s located in the very centre, near the Flower Square.

Its visual aesthetic makes it stand out from other restaurants: the interior is hand-painted by the artist Vojo Radoičić in his recognizable style: maritime themes, vivid colours, and a bit child-like rendition. Radoičić died in July 2017 so this interior remains as a precious art gallery of the late painter.

The waiters are always willing to explain every meal and specify the origin of every fish. The most popular specialties of the house are cuttlefish and squid stew, black risotto, tuna “pašticada”, and a recent addition to their menu – swordfish “pašticada”. The latter two are seafood variations on the traditional Croatian beef dish called pašticada, which could be described as a kind of stew.

I’m a big fan of seafood and in Zagreb this is my first choice to eat fish, especially considering the very reasonable prices (this is one of the best value-for-money restaurants in the city), while the joyful and colourful ambience adds even more pleasure to the whole experience.